Accidents from Overloaded Semi Trucks

Guidance from Our San Jose Truck Accident Attorney

When trucking companies do not abide by established safety regulations,
innocent people end up paying the price. Such companies should not be
allowed to get away with their negligent behavior. As someone who has
suffered considerable losses in a truck accident, you should pursue justice
against the party that has wronged you and your loved ones.

Experienced Representation from Caputo & Van Der Walde

For more than 85 collective years, our law firm has practiced exclusively
in personal injury law. Our wealth of focused experience gives us an edge.
Fighting against insurance companies and other powerful entities may be
tough, but we have the confidence and the skills to challenge them.

If you wish to learn more about your rights and legal options in a free
case evaluation, please call us today at (800) 900-0863.

Truck Legal Weight Limits

According to restrictions set by the
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), large commercial trucks cannot weigh more than 20,000 pounds
per axle. The maximum allowed total weight is 80,000 pounds. These limits
are applicable to most roadways; however, there are some roads where lower
weight limitations are imposed due to their design and other factors.
Trucking companies and their drivers have the duty to comply with these
regulations.

Dangers of Overloading Trucks

Trucking companies must make sure that federal weight limits and requirements
are met by each and every truck before they take off. They must also prevent
cargo from being improperly balanced, measured, or loaded, or else serious
accidents can occur. Overloaded truck accidents are easily prevented by
proper inspection.

The reasons why overloading is so dangerous when it comes to large trucks
are as follows:

Excessive cargo on a truck causes the weight to shift from the front tires
to the rear, making the truck much harder to handle for the driver.

Overloaded trucks are much harder to stop and the added stress on the brakes
may cause them to fail.

Overloaded trucks are much slower going uphill and much faster going downhill.
This can make for dangerous scenarios.

When an overloaded truck traverses a road, overpass, or bridge while exceeding
their weight restrictions, it may cause them to collapse.

Overloaded trucks have a higher center of gravity and consequently a higher
chance of a rollover.

Furthermore, more weight equals greater force; in other words, an overloaded
truck has greater lethal potentiality in general and can wreak havoc in
any kind of collision.

The information on this website is for general information purposes only.
Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual
case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt
or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.